Uganda's first urban social protection program targeting adolescent girls in Kampala

Pregnant, homeless and unemployed is not a good way to start a story. Esther Wema, 15, found herself in this situation which led her to turn to drugs and strong alcohol in order to quell her problems, only to end up with more problems.

During Uganda's COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, with schools closed for almost two years, Esther, who was in grade two, stopped going to school. Soon after, she fled the violent conditions at her uncle's home in Namirembe, a suburb of Kampala, and she often wandered and slept on the streets. She met a man who rented her a studio in one of Kampala's largest slums, Katanga. He later became the father of her child. When she gave birth at age 15, Esther's challenges seemed to increase, with abuse, unemployment and self-loathing.

This was Esther's life for two years, until she met Belinda, one of the mentors of the GirlsEmpoweringGirls (GEG) welfare program.

GirlsEmpoweringGirls is Uganda's first urban social protection program that aims to ensure that in-school and out-of-school adolescent girls living in Kampala transition safely into adulthood and are empowered to achieve their goals, while contributing to their communities. Launched in 2019 by the Government of Uganda through the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in partnership with UNICEF and with funding from the European Union and the Belgian Government, the GEG program aims to strengthen the protection program inclusive and gender transformative social security in Uganda. .

Through peer mentoring, service referrals and cash transfers, GEG has so far supported 3,015 adolescent girls with a particular focus on including girls with disabilities, urban refugees and pregnant/teenage mothers , like Esther.

“When we first met Esther, she was drunk, barely dressed and on drugs,” says Belinda Ejoru, her mentor, adding “It was also obvious that she hadn't eaten in days.” Esther was enrolled in the after-school component of the GEG, on the recommendation of local leaders who identified vulnerable girls in Katanga.

Under GEG, each girl is assigned a mentor who she meets with at least three times a month for individual and group mentoring. Although Esther eventually agreed to meet with Belinda for weekly mentoring discussions, she had to be persuaded to participate in monthly group mentoring or even professional development sessions.

“I had no self-confidence because I thought everyone looked down on me because I was pregnant so young and everyone could see the abuse I suffered.”

With each mentoring session, Esther realized that she may not have chosen her situation, but she could choose her response.

“We tell them not to give up, because a teenage pregnancy doesn't mean it's over,” says Esther's mentor.